The New England Patriots' revamped regime, led by head coach Jerod Mayo and director of scouting Eliot Wolf, put a stamp on its first offseason by selecting a franchise quarterback.
The Patriots selected North Carolina's Drake Maye No. 3 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft on Thursday in Detroit.
The Pats' last foray into the first-round QB game withered in the final years of the Bill Belichick era. Mac Jones never developed beyond his rookie season and was ultimately traded to Jacksonville this offseason.
New England sees more promise under Maye.
The UNC product sports prototypical size at 6-foot-4, 223 pounds, with enviable arm talent. The Tar Heel boasts the arm strength to put the ball into any window on the field with velocity, but he's not all fastball, showing the ability to vary speeds when needed.
In the brutal winters in Foxborough, where the wind can whip and whistle, having a big arm to cut through the cold is advantageous -- as is the size Maye brings to the table.
The youngest of four boys (his older brother, Luke, won a men's basketball national championship at UNC), Maye's toughness jumps off the tape. He's willing to stand in the pocket against pressure, trusting his arm to make throws while taking a hit. Owning the ability to escape pressure, he's also a load in space, able to convert first downs and run through defenders, but he knows when to slide to avoid a big hit.
In two seasons as the starter at UNC, Maye threw for 7,929 yards with 62 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. In his first season in the driver's seat, he completed 66.2% of 517 attempts for 4,321 yards with 38 TDs and seven INTs. His numbers dipped in 2023 after losing his top two receiving targets (Josh Downs and Antoine Green) to the NFL, but he still impressed with big plays and topped the 300-yard passing mark five times.
The 21-year-old is fearless in the pocket and makes gutsy tight-window throws that pro scouts love to see. Those traits, along with the athleticism to move outside the pocket and a good touch on his deep ball, make Maye an enticing talent as he transitions to the NFL.
The attributes that have scouts ogling over the big-armed prospect also give some pause. His gunslinger mentality can sometimes get him in trouble, as he puts the ball in harm's way. Trust in his arm also leads to some inaccuracies. He'll need to tighten up his throwing motion in the NFL, which can get slightly elongated at times.
Like all rookies, Maye has areas to clean up, from accuracy questions to reckless decisions, but his physical gifts, competitive drive and intelligence set him up well to make the transition to the pros.
Maye joins a QB room in New England that added veteran presence Jacoby Brissett, who's become a master at mentoring young signal-callers. Maye, like all highly drafted QBs in this age, projects as a Week 1 starter, but Brissett provides flexibility if Jerod Mayo and his staff don't believe the rookie is ready off the bat.
The Patriots don't boast the skill position players that other QBs drafted early in 2024 have the luxury of playing alongside. The offensive line is solid enough, and retaining tackle Mike Onwenu was vital this offseason. Tight ends Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper are fine pieces, particularly in the red zone, but at this stage of their careers, they aren't prolific. The backfield is led by Rhamondre Stevenson, who owns three-down ability if healthy, and the addition of pass-catching back Antonio Gibson provides a checkdown option.
The wideout room, however, has major question marks. Demario Douglas led New England with 561 receiving yards last season. Kendrick Bourne is coming off an injury-plagued campaign. JuJu Smith-Schuster is a shell of his former self. The K.J. Osborn signing was a solid move, and he can be a good No. 2 target, but in four years in Minnesota, he never earned more than 655 yards in a single season. It's a group that lacks a clear alpha at this stage.
The dearth of go-to targets could make the transition more difficult for Maye out of the gate, but the QB boasts the arm talent to overcome a shortage of surrounding playmakers in the short term.
In the long term, the Patriots answered the most significant question at the start of the Mayo era in New England: Who would be the new quarterback?
Maye is that man.
